The First Link in the Chain

One of the attributes of my new, old audio hobby is that it would require a little work on my part. This would not just be going into a stereo shop listening to equipment and then writing a big check in order to bring it home. 
I would start with Craigslist and see what I could find. I was amazed at the variety of gear that was for sale, everything from mono record players that looked like they might destroy anything you put on them to high end audiophile separates that cost a fortune new and were still pricey used. 

I should explain that I grew up going to high end Stereo stores with my uncle, we would take one of his favorite records (usually pipe organ) and go listen to new stereo equipment. I have some background in this subject and soon I began to hear the terms from the past.
Starting with most important elements of stereo I began with amps and speakers. I soon located a matched pair of Carver pieces about 12 years old the preamp and the amp were just what I wanted and $250 for both was a great deal. 

In the beginning:

For some time now I have been thinking that although I have far more music than I have ever had in my life I don't really seem to enjoy it as much as I usd to.

Why is this the case? I'm not sure that I have the complete answer but I think I have at least part of the answer. I recently went online and bought an MP3 player for $14 this is the type with a micro SD card slot so it is able to hold an almost limitless supply of music.depending on the size of memory card I supply. After some time with the new toy I realized I just had not used the thing. It's probably why I rarely listen to music in my car, it all seems to sounds the same.

By now you probably rolling your eyes and think this some kind of rant against technology. It would be difficult to find someone who is more enthralled with technology than I have been and continue to be. A little research on my part led me to understand what digitization, compression, and the file size has done to the "fidelity" of recorded music.   Yes, fidelity as in HiFi the ability to truthfully reproduce music as it was recorded.

When I came across a website extolling the virtues of vintage audio gear I was quickly hooked. I grew up with this stuff and now it is still considered as good or better than equivalent purchased today. I remembered the act of listening to music, carefully removing a vinyl record from it's sleeve putting it on the turntable and cleaning it with my Discwasher.  Cueing the tonearm and setting the needle in the groove.